Do Not Love the World

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Scripture: 1 John 2:15-17 (ESV)

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Devotion:

            The Apostle John gives us some basic instructions about our relationship with the things of the world. A note of caution is in order here. John did not say hate the people of the world. John has already written in his gospel that “God so loved the world,” God loves those whom He has created to be His image bearers, and nothing can revoke that love. Satan and his angels currently administer this world system of governments and authorities. Therefore, that system is not to be loved.

            The writer warns us that the systems of oppression and violence in this world cannot last. They will pass away one day. The people God creates in His image will die one day as well, but they will pass on to the next life, where they will be placed in heaven or hell as they desire. God being loving grants the desire of his image bearers for fellowship with Him or separation from Him for all eternity.

            For a Christian to love the things of this world must not be permitted. Christians are to love the things of the Spirit, not things of the flesh. We, as Christians, follow the path Jesus laid out for us in the New Testament. The desires of the flesh, eyes, and the pride of life are not to be named among Christians. The worldly ones seek after these things. We, however, must not covet them because we have a higher calling. We must seek the Holy Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Not the unholy trinity of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

            Let us, therefore, seek to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength so that we will be fit for heaven when the time comes. Let us leave behind the sensual pleasures of this life, seeking instead the spiritual blessings of the life to come. God so loved the world that He sent Jesus to show us the way, truth, and life the way it was meant to be lived. Let us pray to God that He will deliver us from a life of slavery to the things of this world into His glorious kingdom.

Prayer:

            Lord, we come before you to praise you because of your great salvation, which you have made known to us through the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Grant that we may, in speech and deed, bear witness to the great love we have in Jesus. Keep our eyes focused on spiritual things rather than things of this world. May we live to exalt and glorify you, our Heavenly Father. Amen.

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